As a means of quickly refining a small amount of a sample, a separation/detection (separation-detection) column (flash tube), which is a polyethylene tube column filled with silica gel impregnated with a fluorescent indicator, is sold commercially. This separation/detection column can easily separate a small amount of a chemical compound in a sample by attaching the sample to the end of the column and filling an eluent into the column. In this separation/detection column, the separation state can be checked by irradiating an ultraviolet ray, and a separated compound can be easily extracted by cutting out the tube. Furthermore, this separation/detection column does not use such an assistant as a fixing agent, unlike the case of a preparative TLC or other stick columns, hence the influence of an assistant on the sample can be prevented.
A known separating agent is a separating agent containing a polysaccharide derivative, such as a polysaccharide phenylcarbamate derivative, which is useful for separating optical isomers, but some separating agents containing a polysaccharide derivative have an ultraviolet responsivity. In the case of the above mentioned separation/detection column, where separation of a compound is checked by irradiating an ultraviolet ray, a separating agent having an ultraviolet responsivity cannot be used, and therefore the above mentioned separation/detection column still must be considered in terms of separation/detection using a separating agent having an ultraviolet responsivity.